The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran an article about the questions raised by gender-separated public schools. While the practice has long been prevalent in private schools, it is still controversial in the public sector.
The article raised some interesting points:
- Would single-gender schools inhibit students ability to learn the social skills required by the coed world outside of the schoolhouse?
- If the single-gender model is most likely to improve achievement for elementary-aged students, is high school too late to use the model to alter learning styles and bad habits?
- Do single-gender schools reinforce the gender stereotypes that boys are competitive and girls are passive?
We agree with Dr. Pedro Noguera, author of "City Schools and the American Dream," as quoted in the article: "The things to focus on are safe schools, good teachers and mentoring."
The rest of the article serves as an excellent start to conversation and debate. Continue reading the article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette here, and let us know your thoughts.
I went to a Parochial boarding school K-9th grade. The dorms were obviously single sex and the classrooms were co-ed until 5th grade.
ReplyDeleteOutside of the religious aspect of my schooling, I have nothing but the best things to say. How much do I attribute to a (mostly) single-sex environment? Little to none.
There was an extremely strong emphasis on "acquisition and application" (knowledge and critical thought). Those responsible for my education had a different set of means and abilities set before them within the confines of a private school.
However, I did attend a public high school in my hometown, and though the transition was unremarkable I was at odds with most of my female peers and socially awkward. I didn't feel pressured to "fit in", I was just bored out of my skull with the public school curriculum and found my fellow classmates shallow and could not relate to unambitious teenagers.
(Apologies for the length of this post).
Truthfully, I don't see a problem with single-sex schools or classrooms. This generation is so well-connected with technology that any fears of being unsociable with the opposite sex are probably unfounded.